1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to diaphragm type stethoscopes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, various types of stethoscopes (e.g., the bell type, the diaphragm type, and the electronic type) have been developed for use to convey sounds from within a patient's body to a medical examiner during the medical examination of the patient. The diaphragm type stethoscope is the type most commonly used in the examination of adult patients. In using a diaphragm type stethoscope, the diaphragm member thereof is pressed against the bare skin of the patient's body to pick up sounds from within the patient's body. A major problem with the prior diaphragm type stethoscopes results from the temperature of the diaphragm member thereof being normally lower than the temperature of the patient's skin when the diaphragm member is pressed thereagainst. Such a difference in temperature creates a very uncomfortable sensation for the patient, sometimes resulting in hysterics when the patient is a young child or the like. Wagner (U.S. Pat. No. 3,213,960) discloses one method of somewhat alleviating this problem. More specifically, Wagner discloses a stethoscope head cover for insulating a stethoscope head from changes in temperature. Wagner does not completely solve the above problem. That is, merely insulating the stethoscope head from changes in temperature will not prevent discomfort to the patient caused by the difference in temperature between the stethoscope head and the patient's skin unless the temperature of the stethoscope head has been previously heated to substantially correspond to the temperature of the patient's body. Prior to the present invention, many medical examiners warmed stethoscope heads by placing the head thereof in their pockets, underneath their arms, or the like. These methods are very ineffective and do not produce uniform results.